Legion Current Events

GI's Honored in Upcoming Film Fest

Thu, 08 May 2008 13:19:04 -0500

Washington, D.C. will host the second annual GI Film Festival May14-18. The festival will present both classic and premier films from international and domestic filmmakers celebrating the heroic stories of the American Armed Forces and the worldwide struggle for freedom and liberty. The American Legion is a sponsor of the event, which will be held at the Carnegie Institution at 1530 P Street, NW. The GI Film Festival, www.gifilmfestival.com, will include:

Film screenings presented by award-winning Hollywood actors and directors. Scheduled presenters include Gary Sinise, Robert Duval, James Franco and Ron Maxwell.
Panel discussions ranging from the 100 greatest war films of all-time to the portrayal of GIs in film and the media.
Cocktail parties featuring celebrities, top military leaders and film-makers.
Special appearances by Dale Dye, James McEachin, Karri Turner, Leeann Tweeden, Gen. Richard Myers, Gen. George Casey and Gen. Richard Cody.

The GI Film Festival is unique among the more than 950 film festivals held in the United States each year because it focuses specifically on honoring American soldiers. Some of the films screened will be fan favorites. Others will be screened for the first time. All will in some way express the courage and selflessness of American soldiers and the value of their important work.

“Everyday, we Americans live our lives and pursue our dreams under the umbrella of protection provided by the men and women in the American Armed Forces,” said GI Film Festival President Brandon Millett. “The GI Film Festival is our opportunity to give something back to our soldiers who sacrifice everything they have so we may continue to live in freedom.”

The event is open to all members of the general public. For more information, please visit www.gifilmfestival.com.

NEC addresses election-year issues

Wed, 07 May 2008 13:24:23 -0500

Photo by James V. Carroll

INDIANAPOLIS (May 7, 2008) – Members of The American Legion’s National Executive Committee gathered here today for their annual spring session at national headquarters.

The National Executive Committee, the formal name for the organization’s board of directors, will address important issues ranging from the war on terror to health care for veterans.

“The American Legion Constitution says we are nonpolitical. That doesn’t mean we check out of the political process,” National Commander Marty Conatser told the opening session. “We engage fairly, driven by our resolutions, in a nonpartisan manner. We are doing our level best to push issues that matter to American veterans to be at the top of the agenda. It is a time of war, rampant illegal immigration and a health system that is being pushed to the limit caring for our sick and wounded from the war. I am proud to say this year that The American Legion's message is in the hands of the next commander-in-chief whoever that may be.”

The national commander informed the NEC that a special positions guide, “Our Pillars, Your Platform,” was prepared and hand-delivered to Sens. John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama.

Conatser encouraged members of the NEC to recruit new members to the organization. “We need to look at what we are doing to ourselves. I appreciate every one of you and all the great things that you do, but we have to step up to the plate.”

During the morning session, Conatser presented a plaque to Maine 4th District Commander Charles Bennett for his peaceful demonstration during a misguided “art-experiment” that featured U.S. flags on the floor at a university. A video of the incident at the University of Maine-Farmington gathered widespread attention on YouTube and is currently featured on The American Legion’s national website.

“I fought for the flag of our country in Vietnam and will fight for it until I die,” an emotional Bennett told the NEC.

The American Legion Auxiliary National President Jan Pulvermacher-Ryan presented Conatser with four $10,000 checks for the Child Welfare Foundation, Children and Youth, the Citizens Flag Alliance and Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation.

The National Executive is scheduled to conclude its meetings Thursday morning.

Career Fair for Veterans - Kansas City, MissouriMay 8

Tue, 06 May 2008 14:36:54 -0500

The military-to-civilian recruiting firm RecruitMilitary will present a free hiring event for job seekers who have military backgrounds in Kansas City, Missouri on Thursday, May 8, 2008. This event, the RecruitMilitary Career Fair, will take place from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Kemper Arena/American Royal Center, 1800 Genessee, Kansas City, MO 64102. RecruitMilitary urges all job seekers who have military backgrounds to attend--veterans who already have civilian work experience, men and women who are transitioning from active duty to civilian life, members of the National Guard and reserves, and military spouses.

Veteran-friendly organizations will conduct one-on-one interviews with the job seekers--organizations that will include corporate employers, law-enforcement agencies and other government employers, educational institutions, veterans service agencies, and veterans associations.

RecruitMilitary will produce the career fair in cooperation with The American Legion; HireVetsFirst, a unit of the United States Department of Labor; and the Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN).

More than 500 organizations attended 45 RecruitMilitary Career Fairs in 2007. At those events, an average of 30-plus organizations interviewed an average of over 350 job seekers. RecruitMilitary Career Fairs conducted in 2006 and 2007 generated television coverage by CNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN; radio coverage by ESPN and numerous regional stations; and articles in metropolitan and local newspapers.

The American Legion is an association of veterans who served during times of war. The Legion has 2.7 million members in nearly 15,000 posts throughout the world. The National Commander of The American Legion is Martin F. Conatser, an Army veteran, of Champaign, Illinois. Congress chartered The American Legion in 1919. HireVetsFirst was created by Congress in 2002 to develop awareness among employers of the outstanding attributes of men and women who are transitioning from active duty to civilian life. The Military Spouse Corporate Career Network was founded in 2004 to provide career opportunities and job portability for military spouses. The organization is made up of military spouses, caregivers to war wounded, and retired military personnel.

RecruitMilitary, based in Cincinnati, connects employers with job seekers who have military backgrounds. All of the company's owners, officers, account executives, and retained search consultants are either veterans or active or former reservists. In addition to participation in career fairs, RecruitMilitary offers subscriptions to its database of self-registered job seekers who have military backgrounds, currently numbering more than 185,000, at its Web site, www.recruitmilitary.com, advertising in online and print media, and retained hiring services. The company mails more than 54,000 copies of a quarterly, print newsletter called Incoming! to over 230 military bases throughout the world for distribution to transitioning personnel; employers advertise their job openings in Incoming! The President of RecruitMilitary is Drew Myers, formerly a captain in the United States Marine Corps. The company was founded in 1998.

Ironmen Roll Across America

Mon, 05 May 2008 15:19:15 -0500

On March 1, retired U.S. Marine Tom Knoll of Hawaii and his son, Warren, embarked on the 3,300-mile Freedom Run to raise money for three charities: the Wounded Warrior Project, which assists wounded veterans and their families; The Sunshine Foundation, which grants wishes to seriously ill and abused children; and the Challenged Athletes Fund, which assists disabled athletes.

Along the way, American Legion posts are opening their doors for fundraisers and other events supporting the Knolls' mission. Freedom Run event coordinator Hubie Krawczyk recently sent a dispatch from the road to The American Legion Online Update, thanking Legionnaires for their efforts:

Some people are born to run. At 75 years young, Tom Knoll - a 33-year Marine and original Ironman from the first triathlon in 1978 - is running a marathon a day with his son Warren, 44, to raise $1 million for three charities.

We kicked off the Freedom Run on a beautiful southern California day at Spanish Landing Park in San Diego, with representatives from all of the charities on hand: the Wounded Warrior Project, the Sunshine Foundation and the Challenged Athletes Fund. The goal for each day of the Freedom Run is 30 miles; the total 3,350 miles are broken down into 112 30-mile legs.

Once the gun went off, we hit the beach and made our way north up the California coast. Getting towards the 20-mile mark, Tom took a hard spill, which got him 25 stitches above the eyebrow. After receiving medical assistance from the local VA, Tom was sewed up and ready to go. He woke at 2 a.m. the next day to make up the 10 miles he had missed. That's one tough Marine; this was just the beginning.

Our team continued through heavy-terrain mountain ranges into Desert Hot Springs, Calif., where we met up with retired Marine Sgt. Maj. David Danford, 70, who arranged a two-mile run with the local high school's ROTC Marines in support of the Freedom Run. "Very impressive," Knoll said. "These kids are a great example of hard work and dedication."

Our Phoenix stop was at the American Legion Post 35 in Chandler, Ariz., where we joined a fundraiser with local Legionnaires and Legion Riders. Their support was fantastic; we were honored to be a part of their post anniversary celebration. Heading east, American Legion Post 27 in Apache Junction rolled out the red carpet for the Freedom Run team. Here, we reached the end of the desert and headed into the mountains once again.

The Overgaard American Legion Post 86 in northern Arizona was the next meeting point with the run. There the team enjoyed a fish fry and received a Legion Riders shirt.

The Young Marines of Northeastern New Mexico joined in the run with Tom and Warren. An 11-year-old ran 12 miles with the guys - a great group of kids. With California and Arizona down, it was time to enter New Mexico.

American Legion Post 99 in Albuquerque stepped up for us, arranging a meet-and-greet for members and local people. Into the high plains the guys had to work against plenty of high winds all the way through the state until they got to Clovis, N.M. American Legion Post 147 worked with us and put together a function for the local membership. The high plains were a tough stretch for the guys, but Tom and Warren knocked out the miles.

With Texas in sight, Post 54 in Amarillo was our next Legion connection. The local ROTC came out and ran a number of miles, and the Freedom Run received great press from local television stations.

Warren and Tom have been daily running 30 miles; that's more than a marathon a day. This has been a huge effort, dealing with traffic, stray dogs and tight roads. Words cannot express how tough it is to hang in there and be strong mentally and physically to finish the job in Washington, D.C., on July Fourth. These guys are in for the long haul for a great cause. The Freedom Run would like to thank everyone who supported us throughout this part of the country. We would not be able to do it without you.

To learn how you can support the Freedom Run, contact Hubie Krawczyk, event coordinator, at (414) 550-4769 or e-mail hubie@usmultisport.com.

New Generation of Legionnaires Post 911 energizes Left Coast

Fri, 02 May 2008 08:35:20 -0500

Photo courtesy of Post 911

BY JOHN RAUGHTER

SAN FRANCISCO – With its progressive politics, high cost of living and lack of military bases, San Francisco is not a place one would assume to find the newest generation of Legionnaires. Yet the Bay Area is now home to one of the fastest growing and unique posts in The American Legion.

“If The American Legion can succeed in San Francisco, and we are proving that it can, it can succeed anywhere,” said Michael Gerold, Commander of American Legion Post 911.

As its moniker suggests, the new post was born in the aftermath of the worst terrorist attack in American history. Fittingly, its membership ranks are dominated by veterans of the War on Terror.

Chartered on Sept. 11, 2007, the post already had more than 100 Legionnaires by spring. Moreover, 84 percent of its membership is under 27 years old. It also has a rapidly growing Auxiliary unit and Sons of the American Legion squadron.

Gerold, a “post elder” at 39, and his post adjutant, Yon-Teo Seeger, 31, served in combat together with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force [in] Afghanistan. After returning home, Gerold said that he was unable to find a single American Legion post that was dedicated specifically to veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“Post 911 is dedicated to acknowledging the selfless service, sacrifice and bravery of American heroes answering the call of our generation,” Gerold said. “We are assisting these honored veterans in their return home by providing a conduit for educational, medical, vocational, and social support and benefits; and giving true meaning to their continued success by encouraging the same selfless service in our community at home that they have already demonstrated to the country while serving.”

“Our vision for Post 911 revolves around family,” said Seeger. “We do not view our Sons squadron, Auxiliary unit and Legion members as three separate units. We are one family and we are all emotionally invested in succeeding as one family.”

Its website, www.legionpost911.org, reflects the interests of the current generation of veterans. “We have created a new series of activities and programs tailored to the current interests of the new generation. The first of its kind Legion SCUBA, paintball, triathlon, Skydiving, and Expedition Adventure League are now available to the new generation of high adventure seekers,” it proclaims. “We are also dedicated to getting needed information to our members and sponsors faster and more effectively than ever by reaching out to our returning heroes via Internet, blogs, Podcasts, billboards, taxi tops, and radio media.”

If Post 911 defies stereotypes, it should come as no surprise since the leadership of the post itself is anything but typical. Gerold, who still serves on active-duty as a U.S. Army captain, drives a BMW convertible and lives on the 33rd floor of a swanky high rise in San Francisco’s financial district. The few military residents of his complex tend to wear stars on their shoulders, not captain bars.

A successful investor, Gerold was able to live entirely off his California real estate holdings and portfolio by the time he was 26. “My brother and I reached the point where we could just enjoy life, so we joined the Army. I was very fortunate with my investments and wanted to give something back to this country,” he said.

That “something back” included having been injured during a 2006 firefight in Afghanistan, which resulted in an air medical evacuation to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany where he was treated for three months in the Poly Trauma ward. At Landstuhl, he met a translator in the hospital who would become his wife and president of the Post 911 Auxiliary. At age 29, Carita Ronin Gerold is hoping to begin her own Army career.

“I want to join the Army,” Carita said. “Being around all of these soldiers is an inspiration. I also want to remain an active Auxiliary leader because we have big plans here including the rejuvenation of veterans services and activities of the San Francisco War Memorial Veterans Building.”

Oh yes, the War Memorial Veterans Building. The full name of the magnificent structure is the San Francisco War Memorial & Performing Arts Center. It houses Post 911, along with several other local American Legion posts and the Department of California headquarters. Usage of the 7 and ½ acre building is becoming a point of contention between San Francisco’s thriving arts community and the veterans. The renovations will come as a result of a $120-million grant awarded by the City of San Francisco.

“There are some, certainly not all, in this city who would love to relegate the Legion presence to just one office in the back of the building,” Michael said. “The city is willing to fund renovations and upgrades but unless we want this great memorial to veterans to be dominated by art rooms and performing studios, it is up to us to show usage. I would love to see all of The American Legion posts in the area be active and shatter the anti-military reputation that San Francisco does not entirely deserve but definitely has. There are a lot of patriotic people in this city and the business community is solidly behind us.”

Gerold has been able to use his business connections to form the Post 911 “Torch Bearer’s Society,” an informal network of business leaders willing to mentor young veterans. “Careers, not just jobs, and education are the top priorities for Post 911’s young veterans,” Gerold said. “If we can help provide these services, we are performing a key mission of The American Legion. Most people who have served in the military, can excel at colleges and universities.” Gerold speaks three to four times a week to various audiences about what he campaigns for as “serving the next Generation of Heroes.”

Gerold fulfills his Army obligation by teaching ROTC at the University of San Francisco, a campus that has been fertile ground for Post 911 membership. Gerold emphatically states, “University of San Francisco’s mission of educating the hearts and minds to change the world, is our shared mission as the new face of the American Legion. Post 911 is educating the hearts and minds to change the world’s perception, treatment and understanding of who we are and why we volunteer for military service.”

“Every officer in the post is a college student,” Gerold said. “It’s not a requirement but I insist on educational development in whichever form one elects. We strongly encourage returning veterans to pursue higher education. We have several people working on MBAs. We have Legionnaires attending school at Stanford, U.C. Berkeley, USF, San Francisco State, and Santa Clara University.”

Thirty-four members of Post 911 serve as leaders in the Boy Scouts – an unpopular move in some San Francisco quarters. “One post was pretty upset because of their policy (prohibiting homosexual Scout leaders and requiring a belief in God). They said we shouldn’t support the Scouts. I believe Scouting is one of the best youth leadership development programs in the world.” Gerold said. “I’m an Eagle Scout and we have other Eagle Scouts as post officers. The Boy Scouts are a great organization and we are happy to support them.” Post 911 has sponsored a Venture Crew 911 as well as a Cub Pack 911.

While the younger veterans may have created Post 911, the emphasis on youth does not come at the expense of older members. The post includes retired Gen. John Abizaid in its ranks as “Honorary Commander,” as well as Gerold’s father, a World War II veteran. “Any veteran who is eligible to join The American Legion is welcome in our post,” Gerold said. “Just because we reach out to OIF and OEF veterans does not mean that we don’t appreciate the service of earlier veterans.”

One way the post has been reaching the younger veterans is through its X-Box Live network. “At any given time 70,000-80,000 people are on this network playing,” Seeger said of the Call of Duty IV: Modern Warfare game. “Through our group screen name ‘P911’ we have been able to recruit members from out of state that we would not otherwise meet.”

Gerold said the game has enabled the post to recruit members from Puerto Rico, New York, Massachusetts and even Iraq. “It’s also a lot of fun with realistic combat graphics. We plan to expand our outreach through new media. We have an information officer who will put our footprint on MySpace, Facebook, SecondLife.com, Yahoo, our Virtual Post 911, and podcasts.”

While the post has been rapidly expanding since its founding, it is still just “Phase I” according to its leaders. “Phase I is building a strong post in San Francisco,” Gerold said. “Phase II will include satellite posts or annexes throughout the region and state. Phase III will be an expansion of Post 911 members throughout all 50 states. This can be done by cyber-recruiting and Internet activities and our P911 Mobile Training Teams (P911MTT’s).” These four person training teams will travel nationwide with funding and resourcing provided by several airlines, corporations and hotel chains currently supporting Post 911.

Post 911 will hold a semi-annual gala May 9, to display to the city that there are indeed veterans in San Francisco and that they deserve the respect and thanks for their service. Gerold is adamant about his copyrighted tag line that the time for “We Support the Troops” needs to replaced with Post 911’s “We DO for the Troops. We are reshaping the messaging and brand management of veterans.”

And when will Phase II begin? Sept. 11, 2008. While the years change, the month and day will always burn in the hearts of these veterans of the War on Terror.

American Legion Joins Department of Homeland Security in promoting Fifth Annual National Preparedness Month

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:52:05 -0500

Photo by James V. Carroll

The American Legion has joined with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in promoting the fifth annual National Preparedness Month this September and encourages Americans to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities. This year, the Ready Campaign is encouraging Americans to take simple steps to prepare including: Get a Kit; Make a Plan; Be Informed about the different types of emergencies and their appropriate responses; and Get Involved.

“As military veterans we understand the value of readiness,” said Marty Conatser, national commander of The American Legion. “As a country at war, it just makes good sense for every family to have a disaster plan and readiness kit with three days of food and supplies to survive potential natural disasters or terrorist caused catastrophic events.”

“We cannot stress enough the importance of being prepared for all types of emergencies, from natural disasters to terrorist attacks,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “Having a plan can make all the difference, as the recent flooding and ice storms across the country have shown. The time for individuals, families and businesses to plan is now, and to resolve to make readiness a priority for 2008.”

With more than 14,000 American Legion posts across the country, Legionnaires are encouraged to plan and conduct activities and events in September to highlight the importance of emergency preparedness and promote individual involvement, such as first aid trainings, town hall meetings and much more. Posts may broaden their community service outreach by getting involved with their local Citizen Corps Councils and by participating in Citizen Corps initiatives and programs.

The American Legion publication, “Disaster Preparedness and Response for American Legion Posts (Stock #58-002), contains complete details in planning, organizing, and executing a disaster preparedness and response program.

The American Legion and more than 600 other National Preparedness Month coalition members have agreed to distribute emergency preparedness information and sponsor activities across the country that will promote emergency preparedness.

Individuals interested in more information about family and business preparedness can visit www.ready.gov or call 1-800-BE-READY to receive free materials.

Career Fair for Veterans - Cincinnati, Ohio - May 1st

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:31:53 -0500

The military-to-civilian recruiting firm RecruitMilitary will present a free hiring event for job seekers who have military backgrounds in Cincinnati, Ohio on Thursday, May 1, 2008. This event, the RecruitMilitary Career Fair, will take place from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Great American Ball Park (Home of the Cincinnati Reds), 100 Main Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 RecruitMilitary urges all job seekers who have military backgrounds to attend--veterans who already have civilian work experience, men and women who are transitioning from active duty to civilian life, members of the National Guard and reserves, and military spouses.

Veteran-friendly organizations will conduct one-on-one interviews with the job seekers--organizations that will include corporate employers, law-enforcement agencies and other government employers, educational institutions, veterans service agencies, and veterans associations.

RecruitMilitary will produce the career fair in cooperation with The American Legion; HireVetsFirst, a unit of the United States Department of Labor; and the Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN).

More than 500 organizations attended 45 RecruitMilitary Career Fairs in 2007. At those events, an average of 30-plus organizations interviewed an average of over 350 job seekers. RecruitMilitary Career Fairs conducted in 2006 and 2007 generated television coverage by CNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN; radio coverage by ESPN and numerous regional stations; and articles in metropolitan and local newspapers.

The American Legion is an association of veterans who served during times of war. The Legion has 2.7 million members in nearly 15,000 posts throughout the world. The National Commander of The American Legion is Martin F. Conatser, an Army veteran, of Champaign, Illinois. Congress chartered The American Legion in 1919. HireVetsFirst was created by Congress in 2002 to develop awareness among employers of the outstanding attributes of men and women who are transitioning from active duty to civilian life. The Military Spouse Corporate Career Network was founded in 2004 to provide career opportunities and job portability for military spouses. The organization is made up of military spouses, caregivers to war wounded, and retired military personnel.

RecruitMilitary, based in Cincinnati, connects employers with job seekers who have military backgrounds. All of the company's owners, officers, account executives, and retained search consultants are either veterans or active or former reservists. In addition to participation in career fairs, RecruitMilitary offers subscriptions to its database of self-registered job seekers who have military backgrounds, currently numbering more than 185,000, at its Web site, www.recruitmilitary.com, advertising in online and print media, and retained hiring services. The company mails more than 54,000 copies of a quarterly, print newsletter called Incoming! to over 230 military bases throughout the world for distribution to transitioning personnel; employers advertise their job openings in Incoming! The President of RecruitMilitary is Drew Myers, formerly a Captain in the United States Marine Corps. The company was founded in 1998.

FOX 26 Wins American Legion’s Top Journalism Award

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:58:12 -0500

KRIV FOX 26 in Houston, Texas has been selected to receive The American Legion’s Fourth Estate Award for a documentary chronicling the rehabilitation of wounded warriors from Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The Intrepid-Texas Lifeline,” went inside the Brooke Army Medical Center Burn unit where young men and women are battling the damage done by explosive blast and flame and coming to terms with facing a future without a piece of themselves – legs and arms gone forever. The piece also featured those who descended on the Center from every corner of the country to deliver the wounded strength and hope.

“This production is truly a tribute to the warrior spirit, the love of families and the tender care being provided by fellow medics,” said Marty Conatser, national commander of The American Legion. “The construction of the rehabilitation facility known as the Center for The Intrepid serves as a lasting testament of immense and continuing gratitude.”

Kathy Williams, Vice President and News Director, KRIV-TV added, "We would like to thank The American Legion for recognizing FOX 26 News with this award. Our station has committed a great deal of resources to reporting on local military personnel and their families and ‘The Intrepid-Texas Lifeline’ was a shared passion among those in our newsroom who worked on the piece."

"This year’s nominations were extremely competitive, well written and presented," said Robert L. Morrill, chairman of The American Legion’s Public Relations Commission. “But the KRIV documentary took the top honor with its riveting stories of America’s newest war veterans and their incomprehensive strength of spirit.”

Previous winners of the award include WFOR-TV in Miami, United Press International, The Dayton Daily News; Dateline NBC; Fortune Magazine; ABC News; and the Detroit News.

The award will be presented to the FOX 26 News team during the 90th National Convention of The American Legion in Phoenix, Ariz. on Aug. 28, 2008. The program may be viewed at http://media.myfoxhouston.com/news/intrepid/.

With a membership of 2.7-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and patriotic youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

KRIV FOX 26 is part of the Fox Television Stations, one of the nation's largest owned-and-operated network broadcast groups, comprising 35 stations in 26 markets and covering nearly 45% of U.S. television homes. This includes six duopolies in the top 10 markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Washington D.C. and Houston; as well as duopolies in Minneapolis, Phoenix and Orlando.

Contacts:
The American Legion
Joe March or John Raughter at (317) 630-1253

Fox Television Stations
Jessica Moss at (212) 301-3817

Veterans Launch National Education Effort on Illegal Immigration

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:35:26 -0500

INDIANAPOLIS (April 28, 2008) – Crime, terrorism and dependency on scarce government dollars are some of the major reasons why the nation’s largest veterans organization is concerned about illegal immigration. So concerned, in fact, that The American Legion today began a nationwide outreach to alert Americans to the dangers posed by illegal aliens and the government’s reluctance to seriously address the issue.

Through a radio spot campaign, news releases from posts across the country, letters to newspaper editors and a concerted outreach to America’s leading media pundits, at both the national and local levels, The American Legion will offer a free booklet about illegal immigration that not only discusses the far reaching problems it is causing but also provides a cogent strategy to address the issue.

“American Legion members have served in the U.S. Armed Forces throughout the world so that Americans can feel safe at home,” said Marty Conatser, national commander. “We have seen Third World countries. We have seen poverty, political instability, disease and war. Today we see the threat that open borders present to our homeland.

“With more than 14,000 posts and 2.7 million members, I am asking Legionnaires everywhere to start the national dialogue that needs to happen now,” Conatser said. “As a nation at war with operatives sworn to kill Americans, our government must shut down our open borders and take decisive action to address a crippling national problem.”

The booklet, “A Strategy to Address Illegal Immigration in the United States,” is available for download at www.legion.org/bulletins. A free hard copy can be requested by sending an email to acy@legion.org. Conatser has asked Legionnaires to obtain a media kit, visit radio stations and offer the public service spot package of six 60-second radio spots that addresses various problems with illegal immigration and offers the booklet free to listeners.

“The American Legion is very much in support of legal immigration,” Conatser added. “Indeed the ancestors of countless Legionnaires immigrated here from around the world. However, we are a nation of laws and since we all swore to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States when we donned our uniforms, we believe strongly that the security and sovereignty of our nation must be our highest priority through stringent enforcement of our immigration laws.”

Rick Monday’s Great Play

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:20:54 -0500

Thirty-two years ago today Chicago Cub outfielder Rick Monday made a great play. When two protestors attempted to burn the U.S. flag on the field at Dodger stadium on April 25, 1976, Monday swiped the flag from the pair, an act that motivated the crowd of more than 30,000 to break into a spontaneous rendition of “God Bless America.”

The scoreboard lit up with the message, “Rick Monday, you made a great play,” for the visiting player and future Dodger. It was ranked as one of the 100 greatest moments in baseball history by Baseball Hall of Fame visitors.

Monday, who served in the Marine Corps Reserves, is a member of American Legion Post 211 in Woodward, Iowa. A broadcaster for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Monday also serves on the board of the Citizen’s Flag Alliance which is working to pass a flag protection amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“The American flag means so much to our country, especially our veterans,” Monday said at The American Legion’s National Convention last summer. “In my mind, what the protestors were trying to do was wrong. It was wrong 31 years ago and it is still wrong today. There is no place for it.”

Currently, the proposed flag amendment sits in the U.S. House of Representatives where Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., is the sponsor of H.J. Resolution 12, which is backed by The American Legion.

Irondequoit American Legion Post 134 turns 80

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:22:23 -0500

Irondequoit Post (NY)

Irondequoit, N.Y. - Near the front of the room, a table was set for one as a solemn tribute to those who couldn’t enjoy the celebration.

More than 60, including Iraq veteran Charlie Vancheri, traveled to Ridgemont Country Club in Greece April 20 to mark the 80th anniversary of Irondequoit American Legion Post 134. The post, named for the community, was formed Feb. 2, 1928. Its first commander was George McAvoy, for whom a well-known sports park in southeast Irondequoit is now named.

Commander of the post is Peter Fantigrossi, a retiree of the Rochester Fire Department and a veteran of the Korean War. He is the one who made sure the table at the front of the banquet room was set for one, in honor of military personnel who are or were prisoners of war or missing in action.

“My two best friends were among them,” he said.

Post 134 today has about 90 members who are veterans of World War II, Korea, the Vietnam War and Desert Storm.

“We’re a very diverse outfit, with members who are lawyers and Kodak retirees to high school principals and former police officers,” Fantigrossi said.

Their common bond is their shared military service and their commitment to the community.

While many legion posts have names other than their town’s, “We’re so proud of Irondequoit, we’d never put anyone’s name in front,” Fantigrossi said, though he added that the post does have “a lot of outstanding citizens, veterans and soldiers.” Among the post’s well-known members is boxing great Carmen Basilio, who lives in Irondequoit.

The post meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month, March through December, in the Veterans Lodge at Camp Eastman, 1301 Lake Shore Blvd.

Besides honoring and helping veterans, providing honor guards for funerals and hosting patriotic observances on special occasions like Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Flag Day, the post focuses on community service.

“Get involved” is their motto, said Alexander Johnson, first vice-commander of the post. He also shared a brief post history at Sunday’s event, explaining that the first national American Legion was formed in 1919, after World War I.

Johnson said the post has sponsored an American Legion baseball team since that program’s inception and awarded three $1,000 scholarships to Irondequoit high school seniors since 1998. The post also helps the Irondequoit Community Cupboard.

Members also built the community playground at Camp Eastman in 2002, sponsored renovation of the Veterans Lodge there, and installed flag poles at three sites around town. The post has regularly made donations to the Irondequoit Police Department’s DARE program, Ronald McDonald House, Mercy Flight, the Irondequoit Theater Guild and the Canandaigua Veterans’ Hospital, where they also host a summer picnic and holiday party.

Most recently, the post has been sending packages to soldiers serving in Iraq.

In the last year, Post 134 awarded $10,000 to charitable causes, said finance officer Angelo Laloggia. They raise money by volunteering at community events and selling poppies prior to Memorial Day.

“Everything’s not awards and medals. It’s what you want to do from your heart,” Fantigrossi said.

Sunday’s celebration banquet, however, was a time for recognitions, and the commander had plenty to go around.

“You never saw a group get along like Post 134,” Fantigrossi said.

“We’re like one big family,” agreed Angelo Laloggia.

Fantigrossi had certificates of appreciation for post members like accountant Ray Schultheis, attorney and judge advocate Franklin D’Aurizio, second vice-commander Joe Laloggia, financial officer Angelo Laloggia, chaplain Thaddeus “Ted” Widera, trustee Charles D. Vancheri, sergeant-at-arms Edward Bardell, post photographer Frank Bellomo, first vice-commander Alex Johnson, longtime adjutant Don Tasick, current adjutant Gerard Deutsch; quartermaster, trustee and post musician Ray Sylvester; and a man, Fred Prince, he called the post’s “quiet giant.”

Fantigrossi also had recognitions for dedicated post members Dan O’Connor, Kevin Satter, Don McNelly, Alexander Gecas and Mike Cerame.

He also recognized Josiane Laloggia, who helps watch post expenses; Irondequoit Supervisor Mary Ellen Heyman and Irondequoit Post editor and reporter Linda Quinlan with plaques.

Additional awards for “service above and beyond the call of duty” went to Sylvester, Tasick, Deutsch, Johnson and Angelo Laloggia. Deutsch, in turn, presented a special award to Fantigrossi, especially thanking and citing the commander’s efforts to improve the post.

“Things have really advanced under his leadership,” Deutsch said. “And it’s not just meetings; he (Fantigrossi) also does a lot at home and on the phone. He’s constantly working for the post ... if he’s not writing a poem.”

Fantigrossi also enjoys writing poetry and has shared some of his work at post ceremonies.

Next up for the now 80-year-old post is the community’s 81st annual Memorial Day parade in May, after which will be a special concert by Gap Mangione on the Town Hall grounds, 1280 Titus Ave.

“It will be a nice way to begin the summer season,” Heyman said, and also to salute Post 134 and its members.

Deutsch had five words that perhaps described the group the best: “This post really does care,” he said.

Post 157 designated as disaster shelter

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:29:11 -0500

American Legion Post 157 Bandera, Texas (located in South Central Texas) has been designated as the primary shelter during Emergency Disasters for the surrounding Banera County. Under the jurisdiction of the Bandera County Emergency Operations Coordinator and The Red Cross, the post is stocking up to provide shelter and meals for 30 people. Additionally, they will offer respite and meals to the county’s first responders comprised of county volunteer fire fighters, county volunteer EMS and local law enforcement.

Post 157’s officers and members are being trained in First Aid and CPR. The post also coordinates First Aid/CPR classes for the community four times a year.

The post volunteered to coordinate the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) for Bandera County. CERT is a federally funded program under Homeland Security. Post 157 coordinates and hosts this important training with the understanding that following a major disaster, first responders who provide fire and medical services will not be able to meet the total demand for these services. CERT training gives us the knowledge needed to make a difference for those who may need the help. When the immediate danger has passed, CERT can impact the recovery effort in ways such as providing immediate assistance to victims in the area, organizing spontaneous volunteers who have not had the training and collect disaster intelligence that will assist professional responders with prioritization and allocation of resources following disasters.

Additional resource: Download The American Legion Disaster Preparedness Booklet

Students Trample On Old Glory

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:15:03 -0500

A university student’s disgraceful art experiment left out one important variable: resistance from a determined American Legionnaire.

Susan Crane, a 40-year-old education major at the University of Maine at Farmington, displayed a series of U.S. Flags on the floor of a student center hallway on campus April 15.

“My purpose was to figure out how people felt about the flag and (I) gave them a choice to walk around it,” she said.

Enter Vietnam veteran Charles Bennett. The American Legion Commander of Maine’s District 4 tried to remove the flags from the floor but university officials threatened to arrest him. Video shows that the veteran stood his ground, however, as he stood in front of Old Glory discouraging many students from stepping on it. Many others, however, found other flags to trample on.

“I am protecting them,” Bennett said of the flags. “I am stopping people from walking on them. It is against the law to put the flag on the floors.”

While the U.S. flag code does not carry criminal penalties, flag desecration laws were unfortunately overturned by the Supreme Court’s dubious Texas v. Johnson decision in 1989. The American Legion and the Citizens Flag Alliance have been working tirelessly ever since to pass a flag protection amendment that would give Congress the authority to protect the U.S. Flag from desecration. The measure fell only one vote short of the needed two-thirds majority in 2006, the last time the Senate voted on it.

Currently, the proposed flag amendment sits in the U.S. House of Representatives where Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., is the sponsor of H.J. Resolution 12, which is backed by The American Legion.

Back in Farmington, the offensive “art” exhibit has been removed before its intended deadline not because of bad taste but because a local fire official deemed it a safety hazard.

DC Post 1 Recognizes WWI Vet

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:17:07 -0500

Members of District of Columbia Post 1 recently paid a visit to the Charles Town, West Virginia home of Frank Buckles, the last American World War I veteran. The 107-year-old enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 16 and served in Europe during the war.

Legionnaires from the oldest post in The American Legion presented Buckles with a certificate of recognition, noting his years of Legion membership.

“He has an amazing sense of history,” said Jake Gadd, a member of Post 1. “He loved General Pershing. A friend of his family told me that he reads several languages and stays up until 11 or 12 at night reading history.”

Buckles is a 77-year member of American Legion Merchant Marine Post 945 in Jefferson Valley, N.Y. Last month, he met with President Bush in the Oval Office and was honored with a special ceremony at the Pentagon

Gadd said that Buckles’ secrets to a long life include drinking a glass of Port wine, exercise, diet and reading.

During World War II, Buckles was a civilian working in the Philippines, when he was captured and imprisoned by the Japanese for three years.

“Mr Buckles has a vivid recollection of historic times,” Bush said during their March 6 meeting. “And one way for me to honor the service of those who wear the uniform in the past and those who wear it today is to herald you, sir, and to thank you very much for your patriotism and your love for America.”

The Silver Lining

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:26:41 -0500

By Jeff Stoffer

A full year removed from Walter Reed’s dark cloud of 2007, military-to-veteran transition remains a top priority in Washington.

In early spring 2007, The American Legion’s 47th Annual Washington Conference buzzed with frustration and dismay. Unsanitary and rundown conditions had recently been exposed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s Building 18, portrayed in the national media as a moldy and insect-infested outpatient holding tank for recuperating troops, many of whom had been stuck there for months. The Washington Post investigative series that began Feb. 18, 2007, unleashed a torrent of public criticism and outrage directed at all arms of government – DoD, Congress, VA, the Army, the White House – responsible for compassionate care and smooth transitions for sick and wounded military personnel.

The article produced more than a Pulitzer Prize for The Washington Post. It drove the issue of military and veteran care to the forefront of the American conscience. A year later, the issue remains there.

That much was clear at The American Legion’s 48th Annual Washington Conference, March 30-April 2, where talk of seamless transition, wounded-warrior programs, economic opportunities for disabled veterans and VA health-care improvements flowed through the meeting rooms and reception halls of the 64,000-square-foot Renaissance Hotel. More than 1,000 members of The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of The American Legion heard from generals, doctors, politicians, business leaders and others about how the government is urgently trying to prove itself worthy of Lincoln’s ageless promise, “to care for him who shall have borne the battle.”

American Legion National Commander Marty Conatser of Illinois also drew upon the 16th president during the Washington Conference. “I am proud to be from the land of Lincoln,” he said at the April 1 Commander’s Call, a staging event before he dispatched Legionnaires to meet with their congressional delegations on Capitol Hill. “Like many of you, his memorable words – ‘a government of the people, by the people and for the people’ – resonate with me every time I come to Washington, D.C. This is where the opening line of the United States Constitution – ‘we, the people’ – literally comes alive and applies directly to you and me.”

The Commander’s Call attracted several national leaders, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio; VA Secretary James B. Peake; Secretary of the Army Peter Geren; Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.; Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas; Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin, D-S.D.; and Brig. Gen. Greg Zanetti, deputy commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay. American Legion Commissions on Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, National Security, Foreign Affairs and Economics also conducted forums, workshops and panel discussions on such subjects like traumatic brain injury and mental health, seamless transitions from DoD to civilian life, wounded warrior care at Walter Reed and beyond, detainee treatment at Guantanamo Bay, economic opportunities for disabled veterans and full accounting of POW/MIAs.

Pelosi focused on improvements to VA health-care funding passed by the 110th Congress – a record $11.8 billion increase budget increase. “Particularly when I travel abroad, to Iraq or Afghanistan, the question I get most often is, ‘What is going to happen to me when I come home?’ I tell them what you have told me – that in the military there is a saying and tradition, that on the battlefield we leave no soldier behind. And when they come home, we will leave no veteran behind.”

The Building 18 effect was confronted head-on during a joint session of The American Legion National Security and Foreign Relations Commissions. Brig. Gen. Michael S. Tucker, assistant surgeon general for warrior care and transition at Walter Reed, told Legionnaires how he is guiding a transformation that in less than a year has included training and certification for 2,428 care providers, elimination of more than 70 bureaucratic procedures in the transition process, improvements in doctor-to-patient ratios and greater compassion for families coming to visit their wounded loved ones. Tucker said Walter Reed’s outpatient rooms are more frequently inspected and better maintained now, families are now met at the airport and driven to the hospital, and soldiers are treated more like soldiers than patients. “Importantly,” he explained, “the wounded soldier has a mission: to heal.”

Among the tallest orders Tucker still faces is speeding up the decision process for those who are caught in a limbo between medical discharge and re-activation. “Today, we have 10,900 non-deployable soldiers,” he said. “We’ve got to return them to duty or release them to VA.”

The American Legion, in an agreement with DoD that was inked shortly after the Building 18 story broke last year, now has a staff service officer on post at Walter Reed to help troops in transition. Also in the aftermath of the Building 18 exposure, President Bush summoned former U.S. Sen. Robert Dole and former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala to lead a commission to recommend urgent changes in the readjustment process. Many elements of the Dole-Shalala Commission report released last fall have since been written into legislation or implemented as policy.

Gen. Tucker described the Building 18 exposure as a “perfect storm” that had been gathering nearly since the Global War on Terrorism began. He explained that battlefield survivability rates rapidly began to outpace long-term recovery resources at DoD hospitals. “Miracles were happening in inpatient care,” Tucker said, noting that combat survivability has soared from 22 percent to 94 percent for patients whose bodies are penetrated by metal. “Outpatient care was our problem. It wasn’t just a Walter Reed problem. It was an Army problem.”

At Walter Reed, however, it was a problem compounded by the medical center’s 2005 placement on the Base Realignment and Closure list. Walter Reed is scheduled to merge with an expanded National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, Md., in 2011. Physical repairs and maintenance had lagged at the 13-acre Washington site after the BRAC decision, Tucker said.

A former armor school instructor at Fort Knox, Tucker has now spent a year forging a new wounded-warrior program at Walter Reed. He said his superiors made it clear the mission was top priority. “If it wasn’t illegal, immoral or unethical, I did what I had to do and apologized later if I needed to,” Tucker told The American Legion commissions. The Army’s “Comprehensive Care Plan” soon emerged for soldiers requiring six months or more healing time. The CCP lays out a curriculum of treatment that engages body, mind, heart and spirit on a course that aims to end up with either “a successful soldier” who returns to duty or “a successful veteran” who returns to civilian life and the VA health-care system.

The relationship between VA and DoD was a cornerstone of most Washington Conference discussions related to wounded-warrior transitions. Many who spoke at the conference said the line is blurring between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, by design. “I really want to erase those lines,” VA Secretary Peake told Legionnaires at the Commander’s Call. He said improvements in information sharing and VA involvement at the DoD hospital level are helping, especially with the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, 800,000 of whom have separated, 300,000 of whom are now in the VA health-care system.

“It’s not a seamless transition, or a seam-ful transition,” said Kristin Day – who has pioneered VA social support programs for wounded and sick Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. “It’s a partnership, and it’s a process that lasts for a lifetime.”

In a panel discussion on DoD-VA transition before The American Legion’s Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Commission, Day joined Dr. Lucille Beck, who leads VA’s Audiology and Speech Pathology program; Dr. Lynda Davis, who heads DoD’s case-management reform effort for returning wounded and ill servicemembers and their families; and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran Steve A. Clark, a program analyst for the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness; Clark knows the transition process well, having lost his right arm during combat in 2003. “As a patient, I was on the receiving end of these programs,” he explained. “Now, I am on the giving end.”

He described the enormous adjustment faced by severely wounded veterans. “I’m still transitioning,” said Clark, who works closely with The American Legion’s Heroes to Hometowns program. “My story was pretty typical. An IED, lost a limb. To Landstuhl, Walter Reed and occupational therapy. The commonality is the commonality of frustration, whether it’s losing a limb, career changes, cooking … Ultimately, success comes when you are no longer thought of as that guy with one arm or that injured veteran, and they just think of you as a good person, coworker, a friend.”

“Well over 90 percent of our wounded now come home,” Dr. Davis told the VA&R commission. “We can help them survive. We know how to keep people alive. What we don’t know yet is how to make them thrive.”

Panelists agree that the sheer number of programs available from the government, veterans groups, businesses and nonprofit organizations can be confusing. Patient-privacy laws often keep disabled veterans and wounded warriors separated from programs designed to help them. Federal recovery coordinators – Dole-Shalala Commission-recommended liaisons between the government and disabled veterans – are moving into place around the country “to make sure the right people are there to help at the right time … to leverage all the resources available,” Day explained.

Another strategy the panelists promoted is the creation of a national resource directory, so patients and their families can pick and choose support programs that best suit their needs.

Secretary of the Army Peter Geren said The American Legion has a vital role to play in communities when wounded troops come home and start their lives over. “There is no substitute for neighbors helping neighbors,” he said at the Commander’s Call. “The American Legion understands that supporting America’s military means supporting America’s military families. Today, while our nation is fighting two wars on the other side of the world, the Legion is as important as ever.”

During the seamless transition panel discussion, Drs. Beck and Davis called upon American Legion members to watch closely for signs of mental-health problems among newly returned combat veterans. They said programs effective programs are available to help them, if they are willing to be helped. “We need you to keep your eyes and ears open and get these young veterans to come forward,” Dr. Davis said. A challenge for many, she added, is that they fear mental health treatment will stereotype them and lead to lost security clearances if they are still in the service.

Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., told of a soldier whose leg was so badly wounded he had a choice – to repair it and walk with a limp or have it amputated. Burr said the soldier wanted to know which choice would leave him most likely to pass his physical and return to the war. He had the leg removed, was fitted for a prosthetic limb and returned to duty. “Their expectations are so drastically different from the past, from what the system was set up to produce,” said Burr, ranking Republican on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. “I am committed to make sure we change it in ways to recognize the needs of the future.”

Pelosi said the federal government – regardless of opposition or support for the war – has an obligation to those who have been sent to fight. “What is mostly unspoken is the cost to America’s families of our men and women in uniform, whether it’s the breakup of families, the mental challenges that some of our troops are bringing home, the issues that have some stigma to them, that people don’t want to talk about so much, we have to face the reality,” she said. “We have to face reality in public policy, funding and in making those concerns a priority, because when those troops ask me, ‘What is going to happen to me?’ I don’t want to have to tell them, ‘Well, you have an enrollment fee… what you have sacrificed is not enough.’

Rep. Herseth-Sandlin – who used most of her time at the Commander’s Call to promote the House version of a new GI Bill to better cover the costs and meet the needs of today’s veterans – said “whether it’s health care, education benefits, housing, job training or other services, we must stand up for the men and women who stood up for us and our country … These are moral promises that must be fulfilled, and they are just as meaningful as the promise of a young life we send out onto a battlefield. A lot of extra focus is on veterans returning home, who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. With this renewed focus, I believe we can make important strides in addressing veterans’ health care, the crises that we have at times faced, and the inadequacies in the military health-care system brought to light by the scandal at Walter Reed. We can inch closer to keeping the sacred promise we made to our servicemembers.”

Jeff Stoffer is editor of The American Legion Magazine.